Machine for bending wood



(No Medal.)

0. E. SARGENT.

MACHINE FOR BENDING WOOD.

No. 322,856. Patented July 21, 188 5.

N. PETERS, Fhnlo-Liihognphor. Washinglon, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. SARGENT, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MACHINE FOR BENDING wooo.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,856,dated July 21, 1885.

Application filed March 9, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. SARGENT, of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Wood-Bending Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a top view, and Fig. 2 a side view, of the machine. Figs. 3 and 4 are back views of the head, showing the clampin its two positions; and Figs. 5 and 6 are side views of the head, also showing its two positions. Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views showing the two positions of the strap.

A is a frame of any suitable construction. B is a main shaft having upon it a drive-pulley, G, and another belt-pulley, D. E is a belt passing over the pulley D and a pulley, F, upon a shaft, G, which carries a spurpinion, H, that engages a spur-wheel, I, upon a shaft, J. Thus it will be seen that the shaft J receives rotary motion from the shaft B, but at a slower speed. The belt E is made so loose (upon the pulleys) that it does not communicate motion to the shaft G except when made tight by a tightening-pulley. Thus, while the main shaft may have continuous rotation, the rest of the mechanism may be allowed to stop by relieving the belt from the pressure of the tightening-pulley.

K is the tighteningpulley, journaled in a hand-lever, L.

M is a pulley which has bearing in the free ends of arms N, which are hinged to the main frame at O. The free ends of the arms N are hinged to a rod, P, whose lower end is connected to the short end of a treadle-lever, Q. The purpose of the pulley or wheel M is to form an adjustable bearing for the strap T (which underlies the grips of theplow-handles) in close proximity to the quadrants R, on which the grips are bent. These quadrantblocks are fixed to the end of the shaft J and form the head. They are grooved at r, the grooves receiving the grips s of the plow-handles S, which grips are bent by the turning of the head through about one-fourth of a circle.

This machine is constructed to bend two plow- (No model.)

handle grips at each operation; but may be modified so as to bend a greater or less number.

The plow-handles, before bending, are fixed in a removable frame, which will be now described.

T is a flexible metal strap having at one end an angle-clip, U, riveted to the end of the strap, so that when the top of the grip is laid upon the strap the ends of the grip will bear against the clip, as seen in Fig. 2. To the other end of the strap is riveted a plate, V, made with an eyehole, c, which receives the hook to of atie-rod,W,which extends between the handles and passes through a tie-plate, X, which bears against the ends of the handles.

W-is a nut screwed upon the tie rod, and bearing against the outer side of the tie-plate, so as to force the plate against the ends of the handles and the ends of the grips against the clip U. To the clip or angle-plate U is hinged a chord bar or rod, Y, with one or more hook or ratchet teeth yupon its free end. As the grips are bent the end of the rod Y runs through a slot, 1., in the flexible plate, and one of the teeth engages the plate T at'the end of the slot It, so as to hold the strap and the grips in the bent or curved condition. The end of the strap to which the plate V is attached is firmly clamped to the handles (before bending) by a clamp ring, Z, hinged to the strap, and embracing the handles a are' wedges which are driven between the handles and the ring Z to hold the strap firmly to the handles. After the grips have been bent the tie-rod W and plate X may be removed; but the strap is left upon the grips until after they have been kiln-dried, and the grips are thus fixed in their bent condition.

The clamp for attaching the strap T and handles to the bending-head will now be described.

The head has a groove, b, parallel with the shaft J, into which the clip or angle-plate U enters, and in which it is held by a lock plate,

0, which has a jaw, c, embracing the clip U,

and a clip, 0 engaging the edge a of the clip. The locking-plate slides upon the fiat back plate, d, of the head, having slots 0 through which pass stud-bolts e, that are fixed in the head and upon which are nuts and. washers bearing upon the outer side of the lock-plate.

f is a lever turning on a fulcrum, g, which is fixed to the back plate, d, the fulcrum-pin passing through a slot, h, in the lock-plate.

dis a link connected by a pivot-pin, j, to the lock-plate, and by a pivot-pin to the shank of the lever f. It will be seen that the lever f and the link t constitute a sort of toggle-oonnection between the turning head R and the sliding locking-plate c of the clamp,and that, therefore, when the lever f is in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and4 the jaw c of the lock-plate is open, and that when the lever is moved into the position shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 6 the jaw is closed, the strap then being locked fast to the head. Thelever, in moving it into the locking position, is turned a little past the dead-center to a stop pin or stud, Z, so that the strain of thejaw upon it shall hold it in such position, as will be understood without further explanation.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The handles, when sufficiently finished for bending, are clamped to the strap T, as shown, and the strap locked to the head, the handles resting upon the table or shelf m and roller M. The belt E is then tightened upon the pulleys D and F,and the head is caused to turn through about one fourth of a revolution, until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 6, at which time the projection n of the head engages beneath a spring-catch, 0, secured to the frame A, and one of the ratchet-teeth 31 engages the flexible strap. (See Figs. 6 and 8.) As the head attains this position the belt is relieved from the pressure of the tightening pulley or pulleys, and the belt E falls loose and ceases to act on pulley F. The jaw c is then relaxed and the handles, with strap attached, removed from the machine. The tie-rod W may then be removed from the handles and the latter sent to the drying-room,wherc the sctis given to the bends of the grips.

In place of the toothed bar or rod Y, I may use a simple bar or rod, hinged to the clipplate U, and having a pinhole or eye to receive a pin beneath the strap T when the latter is in the position shown in' Figs. 6 and 8.

The process of bending is much assisted by bearing up the roller M, over which the strap T rolls freely, the roller keeping the grips tightly pressed into the grooves r of the quadrants.

I claim- 1. I11 a wood-bending machine, the combination, with the turning head or quadrant R, having the L-shaped clamp secured thereto, of the flexible metallic strap T, having the clip U, adapted to be engaged by the clamp on the turning head, the clamp-ring Z, for embracing the piecebeing bent, and the chordbar Y ,for holding the parts in curved position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wood-bending machine, the combination, with the turning head or, quadrant R, of the sliding clamp secured to said quadrant, the lever f, fulcrumed to said quadrant, and the link 2', connected at its respective ends to thelever f and the sliding clamp,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a wood-bending machine, the combination, with the turning head, of a sliding clamp secured thereto,and atoggle-connection between said head and clamp whereby the latter is operated, substantially as described.

4. In a wood-bending machine, the ombination, with the turning head R, of the clamp having a slotted lockingplate, 0, bolts 6, projecting from said head and through said slots, thehand-leverf,fulcrun1ed to the said head, and the link t, connected at its respective ends to said hand-lever and sliding locking-plate, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a wood-bending machine, of a removable frame, substantially as herein described, for holding the piece during and after the bending operatiomsaid frame consisting of the flexible metallic strap T, the tie-rod W, separate from and adapted to be engaged with the said strap T, the plateX on the tie-rod W,upon which the end of the piece being bent bears, and the chord-bar Y, adapted to engage the strap T and retain it in the curved shape imparted to it by the bending- -machine, substantially as set forth.

CHAS. E. SARGENT,

W'itnesses:

ISAML. KNIGHT,

GEO. H. KNIGHT. 

